Nearly two years after a travel scam derailed their plans, Seabreeze High School students are finally receiving restitution. A group of students is currently exploring Switzerland and Germany, taking the European trip many thought would never happen.

Restitution and Recovery

More than 100 students and chaperones from Seabreeze High School were affected when a travel agent allegedly took more than $400,000 intended for overseas trips. Now, victims are finally beginning to receive some of their money back. “I got $6,800 back yesterday, which is a little less, but I’m not going to complain because we never thought we would see any of the money back,” said Melissa Heller, one of the victims.

Heller said the refund helped make it possible for her daughter, a Seabreeze alumna, to take the rescheduled trip. “When we found out that they were going to do another trip, we told her, ‘Well, here you go. You still get to go,'” Heller said. “We’re very lucky that we can do that for them. Not every family is that lucky.”

Accountability and Closure

Robert Goodwin accepted a plea agreement earlier this month after prosecutors said he defrauded Seabreeze High School and Flagler College students and families out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Under the agreement, Goodwin was sentenced to time served followed by 25 years of probation. As part of the plea deal, Goodwin must pay more than $600,000 in restitution.

According to court records, approximately $200,000 has already been returned to victims. The rest will be spread out into payment plans. He is required to pay a minimum of about $1,500 a month. For many families, the restitution is providing a sense of closure, even as they continue to grapple with the lasting impact of the scam.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.